"My recommendation was 3 (percent), so that we over deliver," said OHPA Treasurer John McKenna.

The budget, which will cover the period July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, will be forwarded to the city.

Shelly Guyer, golf course executive director, presented OHPA members three alternative budgets for the consideration: a 1-percent increase, a 3-percent increase and a 5-percent increase in golf rounds.

"That's the most optimistic of the three," said OHPA member Elsa Peterson Obuchowski said of the 5-percent increase budget

Said Guyer: "It's the most optimistic but it's not crazy optimistic."

When considering the three budget scenarios, OHPA mulled the impact of proposed capital improvements, such as rebuilding tees and bunkers, on golf play. The improvements could begin this November.

"I don't necessarily think it will have a huge negative impact," said OHPA Superintendent Jim Schell, referring to the normal decrease in play during cold months.

The 18-hole municipal golf course, which is located within Oak Hills Park at 165 Fillow St., closed calendar year 2014 with 36,783 played. That's up 8 percent from the 34,053 rounds played in calendar year 2013, according to Guyer.

Clyde J. Mount, OHPA chairman and former city councilman, gave a forceful defense of the course's operations and finances. He rejected that OHPA closed the fiscal year ending last June 30 with a $107,672 deficit as reported in an audit.

He said that figure includes interest payments on money borrowed from the city for the restaurant construction and other projects as well as property depreciation. Absent those categories, the OHPA closed last fiscal year with a $229,000 profit, according to Mount.

"We are covering our expenses without interest or depreciation, which is how businesses are measured," Mount told fellow OHPA members.

Mount noted that last year the OHPA received a $150,000 loan from the city to carry it through the winter.

"This year, we didn't. Do the math. We're eons ahead of where we were last year," Mount said. "We generated, according to the audit, $300,000 toward operations."

The adoption of the new budget and discussion of last fiscal year's financial performance comes as the OHPA plans to move forward with the implementation of a $4.3 million master plan.

The plan calls for construction of a 36-bay, 270-yard driving range and Golf Learning Center off the 6th hole, and Nature Learning and Fitness Center behind the restaurant at Oak Hills Park.

Mount told OHPA that he plans to explore creating a nonprofit entity to raise money for the improvements.

At this point, the authority has secured a $1.5 million state grant, which Mount said will go before the Common Council for consideration in March.